Resin selection patterns and factors for primary anterior strip crown restorations: A cross-sectional study

Flowable composite resin and conventional composite resin are mainstream restorative materials for primary anterior strip crown restorations, yet dentists' clinical utilization patterns, selection preferences, and underlying decision-making mechanisms remain underreported. This study aimed to investigate the types of resin materials selected by dentists engaged in pediatric dental practice, comprehensively analyze the underlying influencing reasons for material selection, including dentists' cognition of material properties, operational difficulty, and clinical experience, to explore descriptive selection patterns and associated factors for clinical reference.

From February to March 2025, a cross-sectional online questionnaire survey was conducted via WeChat professional networks. A total of 1260 dentists were invited, with 612 respondents and a response rate of 48.6%. After excluding 36 invalid questionnaires and 93 dentists without relevant clinical experience, 483 eligible subjects were finally included. Convenience sampling was adopted. Chi-square tests were used for bivariate analysis, and multinomial logistic regression was performed to identify independent associated factors.

Statistical analysis revealed that the dentist's age, sex, and professional scope demonstrated statistically significant associations with resin selection for crown restorations (P < 0.05) while educational background reached significance only in multivariate regression analysis. Educational background and workplace nature were not significantly associated with resin choice in bivariate analysis (P > 0.05), although educational level emerged as a significant factor in the adjusted multivariate model. Additionally, the inherent properties of the resin materials, and the technical difficulty of the operative procedure, were also found to be associated with dentists' clinical material selection preferences.

Dentists' demographic and professional profiles were significantly associated with resin material selection for strip crown restorations in primary anterior teeth. Rational clinical application entails comprehensive evaluation of material mechanical properties, operational adaptability, and individual clinical experience. Clinician-related factors including age, sex, and professional scope lead to distinct preferences between flowable composite resin and conventional composite resin. Furthermore, procedural convenience and anticipated therapeutic outcomes also modulate material choice. This study is based on a non-representative sample and to some extent reflects the clinical subjective preference characteristics. The extrapolation range of the research results is limited, and the interpretation of the relevant conclusions should be done with caution. Overall, this study systematically reviewed the current clinical application status of pediatric anterior teeth restoration, which can provide exploratory observational reference for understanding current clinical practice patterns. This study contributes exploratory real-world clinical data to the pediatric dental literature.